Jeb Bush: 'It Is Not [Immigration] but the Law Itself That Is Broken'

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush says, "It is not [immigration] law enforcement but the law itself that is broken."

In case you didn't know, Bush and Goldwater Institute Vice President Clint Bolick collaborated on a book, it's just out and it couldn't be more timely: "Immigration Wars: Forging an American Solution."

The Wall Street Journal printed an excerpt last week including a point that somehow goes missing in most of the haranguing, emotional discourse on the issue: "The best way to prevent illegal immigration is to make sure that we have a fair and workable system of legal immigration." We don't.

Bush/Bolick make a lot of sense.

"It is not law enforcement but the law itself that is broken. The nation has changed dramatically since the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, and that legislation has not held up well. ... We need to start from scratch. [...]," the book says.

"For most aspiring immigrants, the only means of legal admission to this country is an annual 'diversity lottery' that randomly awards visas to 55,000 foreigners. There are roughly 250 applicants for each visa every year. The absence of a meaningful avenue of access increases the pressure for illegal immigration."